The invention relates to an installation for heating/ventilating or for air-conditioning of the passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising a casing containing means for treating an airflow to be sent into the passenger compartment, the said means including at least one first source of heat or of cold and changeover-switching elements controlled in such a way as to define variable paths for the said airflow between at least one inlet and various outlets associated with respective regions of the passenger compartment, the casing defining a first mixing region linked to at least one of the said outlets and a second mixing region linked to at least one other of the said outlets, each of the said mixing regions being capable of receiving, in adjustable proportions, a first airflow having passed through the said first source and a second airflow having bypassed it.
It is sometimes desired, for optimal and personalised comfort of the occupants of the vehicle, to send air into various regions of occupation, the temperature of the air being adjusted independently. In particular, it is desired to be able to send air at independently adjusted temperatures into at least one region of the front seats and into at least one region of the rear seats. The known installations allowing adjustment of the temperatures in the various regions feature a hot-air channel situated between an upper cold-air channel and a lower cold-air channel. The upper channel and the lower channel open out respectively into an upper air-mixing region, supplying the front region of the vehicle with treated air by way of distribution ducts, and into a lower air-mixing region, supplying the rear region with treated air by way of rear ducts. FR 2 778 152 A describes such an installation.
The presence of the upper cold-air channel lengthens the path for the hot air between the heating radiator and the de-icing outlet,l which is situated at the upper part of the casing, and consequently the time necessary for this air to reach this outlet. However, speed of access. by the hot air tb the de-icing outlet is an important element when rapid demisting or de-icing is required for reasons of safety.
The object of the invention is to shorten the path for the air between the heating radiator and the de-icing outlet, and, more generally, between the first source of heat or of cold and the outlets associated with the first mixing region.
The invention especially envisages an installation of the type defined in the introduction, and provides for both the second airflows to pass by underneath the first source.
Optional characteristics of the invention, which are complementary or alternative, are set out below:
the first mixing region is linked to at least one outlet associated with a front region of the passenger compartment and the second mixing region is linked to at least one outlet associated with a rear region of the passenger compartment.
the said first source is a source of heat and the treatment means further includes a source of cold which the said first and second airflows pass through before going through or bypassing the source of heat.
the casing defines a single bypass duct below the first source and means for subdividing, in the lateral direction of the casing, a second airflow having flowed in the said bypass duct into at least one first fraction directed towards the first mixing region and a second fraction directed towards The second mixing region.
the said means for subdividing the second airflow comprise a first substantially vertical partition juxtaposed laterally with the second mixing region.
the casing defines, below the first source, a first bypass duct linked to the first mixing region and a second bypass duct arriving at the second mixing region, which are mutually juxtaposed in the lateral direction of the casing, the second bypass duct and the second mixing region being separated from the first bypass duct by a first substantially vertical partition.
the said second bypass duct includes a flap being capable of being shifted between an extreme position closing off the inlet of the said second duct and another extreme position in which it prevents access by the air to a part of the first source.
the said flap extends in a continuous way in the casing so as to be shifted between an extreme position for simultaneous closing-off of the first bypass duct and of the second bypass duct, and another extreme position in which it prevents access by the air to a part of the first source.
the said flap consists of at least two flaps, the said flaps being capable of being shifted independently between an extreme position during which it simultaneously closes off a part of the first bypass duct and a part of the second bypass duct, and another extreme position in which it prevents access by the air to a part of the first source.
the said flap consists of three flaps, two of these flaps being capable of being shifted independently between an extreme position during which it closes off a part of the first bypass duct and another extreme position in which it prevents access by the air to a part of the first source, the third flap being capable of being shifted independently between an extreme position during which it closes off the second bypass duct and another extreme position where it prevents access by the air to a part of the first source.
the said first partition is connected to an intermediate wall and passes through an outer wall both extending in the lateral direction and delimiting the bypass duct or ducts, the intermediate wall separating these latter from the first source.
the said intermediate wall is capable of providing thermal insulation between the first source and the inside of the bypass duct or ducts.
the first mixing region features an extent in the lateral direction coinciding substantially with that of the bypass duct or of the set of bypass ducts, and is separated from the second mixing region by a second partition extending in this same direction and being connected to the first partition.
the casing comprises a main body housing the first source and defining the first or only bypass duct, and at least one attached piece forming the first and second partitions and defining an outlet duct extending outside the main body as far as the said other outlet.
the first and second mixing regions communicate with a single volume situated immediately downstream of the first source.
the first and second mixing regions communicate with respective volumes situated immediately downstream of the first source on either side of a separating partition extending in the lateral direction.
the said separating partition is formed by the said attached piece.
the said separating partition is able to pivot about a substantially horizontal axis so as to cause the relative size of the said respective volumes to vary.
the casing is substantially symmetric with respect to a vertical plane and defines at least one second mixing region situated in a central position and, on either side of it, at least one left-hand outlet duct and at least one right-hand outlet duct which are connected downstream of the first fixing region.
the casing is substantially symmetric with respect to a vertical plane and defines at least one outlet duct connected downstream of the first mixing region and situated in a central position and, on either side of it, a second left-hand mixing region and a second right-hand mixing region.
the casing defines, below the first source, a single bypass duct linked to the first mixing region, the bypass duct and the first mixing region featuring an extent in the lateral direction which coincides substantially with that of the first source, as well as at least one first diversion duct and a second diversion duct starting respectively from a volume situated immediately downstream of the first source and of the bypass duct so as to reach the second mixing region, the said diversion ducts and the second mixing region being offset laterally with respect to the first source.
the casing defines, below the first source, a first bypass duct linked to the first mixing region and a second bypass duct reaching the second mixing region and situated below the first bypass duct.
the said bypass ducts and the said mixing regions feature an extent in the lateral direction which coincides substantially with that of the first source, the casing further defining, below the first source, at least one diversion duct starting from a volume situated immediately downstream of the first source so as to arrive at the second mixing region, the said diversion duct being offset laterally with respect to the first source.
there is provision, in order to adjust the throughput of the first airflow at the inlet of the first mixing region, for a flap suitable for pivoting about an axis situated within the first region, this flap having a cylindrical shape with a generatrix parallel to the said axis and including, in cross section, a central, circular-arc-shaped region centred on the axis, being connected to two marginal regions which go away from the axis, the said marginal regions coming to bear on a separating wall so as to define a position for leaktight closure of the flap.